Depology Retilogy Retinal 0.1% Renewing Serum Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum

Depology Retilogy Retinal 0.1% Renewing Serum Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Methylpropanediol

Glycerin

Squalane

Dipropylene Glycol

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Hydroxyacetophenone

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Tromethamine

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Cholesterol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Retinal

Silica

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Tocopheryl Acetate

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Acetyl Hexapeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Glycosyl Trehalose

Fructooligosaccharides

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Tocopherol

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Beta-Glucan

Raffinose

Sucrose Distearate

Adenosine

Cellulose Gum

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Ceteareth-20

Polyquaternium-51

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Lecithin

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Caprylyl Glycol

Propanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tetrahydropiperine

Disodium EDTA

Phloretin

Arginine

Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tromethamine, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Retinal, Silica, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Glycosyl Trehalose, Fructooligosaccharides, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Beta-Glucan, Raffinose, Sucrose Distearate, Adenosine, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ceteareth-20, Polyquaternium-51, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrahydropiperine, Disodium EDTA, Phloretin, Arginine

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Cetearyl Alcohol

Retinol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Phospholipids

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Glycine Soja Oil

Glycolipids

Dehydroacetic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Glycine Soja Sterols

T-Butyl Alcohol

Water, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycolipids, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycine Soja Sterols, T-Butyl Alcohol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Glyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.

As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.

Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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